'Hmm. Virgin orcs. They'd have to be rarer than mythical beasts.'
The butcher looked at the Orcinas he was surrounded by and commented. He stopped paying attention to Baran, who was having a stroke not too far away from him.
'I'd have to say they are all beautiful though. Damn. This old monster sure knows how to pick them.'
The butcher looked at all the Orcinas and smiled. His smile was gracious and comforting. At least comforting for orcs. The ladies also felt a bit relaxed when they saw their newly appointed chieftain smile at them. It was a form of assurance that they won't be mistreated.
The butcher was just beginning his conversation with some of the beauties when he heard Baran's dread-filled voice.
"You…. Are you that Eren Idril? A human?"
Varhan smiled wickedly when he heard Baran's answer.
"What took you so long to figure out?"
The guy had finally caught up with the hints he had thrown at him.
The butcher never wanted to hide the fact that he was Eren when he thought of making Baran one of his monster army handlers. He needed monster handlers he could count on. And for that, he'd have to let those subordinates in on one of his plans. And that wasn't possible unless they knew what he was doing.
Raadoo and the Orcinas surrounding their ex and current chieftains didn't understand what the talk was about. But in the next moment, they felt like they had been pulled into a different space. A space where only the anger in their hearts and minds existed.
Mark of the Seven Sins: Domain of Wrath
The butcher had pierced his heart with the space-element dagger as soon as he finished conversing with Baran. He wasn't planning on using his ability on anyone here. He only used it as a deterrent.
Since the butcher's rank and elemental attainments have risen, his Sin Series abilities have also increased in their potency. Even he was unaware that his Domain of Wrath had become more dreadful than before.
The butcher had cast the domain to create psychological pressure on his witnesses before he showed them what he was about to do. He controlled his bloodline powers and shapeshifted into his human appearance.
"You… I knew it. I refuse to believe it. But I knew it.
But wait. Are you the same Eren Idril I met with when the humans attacked me?"
Baran said before taking a few steps back from Eren. He recognized Eren from his facial features. But since the butcher had white hair and blue eyes, the rest of the appearance didn't match Baran's memory of Eren.
The Orcinas as well as Raadoo looked even more shocked than Baran. Some of them had thought of attacking Eren. Some had thought of fleeing the scene. And some had the idea of gathering the rest of the tribe to help them process who their new chieftain was.
And yet, they couldn't move. They subconsciously felt like something bad would happen if they tried to flee from this place while the Domain of Wrath was active. One had to say their monster instincts were on point.
The butcher ignored everyone except Baran. He fixed his gaze on him as he walked toward him once again.
This time, Baran couldn't backtrack from his stance even when he wanted to. He felt like he had regressed into his evolution and became an Orc Leader again.
"Yes, I'm the same Eren who you thought of squashing like an ant a few months back. But I'd have to correct you when it comes to my race as a human. I'm no longer that. At least not completely anyway."
The butcher's voice was deeper than usual when he was in his white-haired transformation while the domain of Wrath was active. His voice alone carried a distinct mana signature that didn't belong to this world.
Since the butcher was only wearing a sleeveless jacket made of animal skin, his tribal tattoos were out for everyone to see. His wild and dominant visage created a deep impact on his onlookers' minds.
Eren stopped walking only when he was standing a meter away from Baran. The latter, who had just stood from his kneeling position, was forced to take a knee again.
"Even when we met, I was this Eren Idril. Anyone who has seen this form of mine has not lived to tell the tale.
I'd like you and the others present to be an exception to that unwritten rule. But I guess it all depends upon the choices you make.
Baran, do you remember the three options you said I had in dealing with you? Do you still believe I can take either of those options?"
Eren's voice sounded like the voice of those entities who Baran knew were supposed to either bless or curse people. He then remembered what he had said to Eren previously and understood what he was saying.
For some reason, Baran was at peace when he saw that Eren wasn't a complete human. He took a moment to process his thoughts, clenched his fists, and bowed his head in front of Eren before speaking up with a voice coated in determination.
"I understand what you mean. Since you have shown me this form of yours, I don't think you'd spare any of us if we decided to leave the tribe.
Therefore, I'm ready to serve you or die right here. The choice is yours."
Eren was pleased with Baran's decisiveness. But he still wanted to probe the guy a bit. So he raised his eyebrows at Baran and asked in a doubtful tone.
"You are ready to serve me even though you know I'm not an orc?"
Baran looked up after he heard the butcher's question and nodded before responding to his statement verbally.
"My liege, since you can shapeshift into an orc, there's an orc in you. This orc was talented enough to defeat an orc who was more evolved than him.
I'd feel no shame in serving the orc that's within you. That is if you allow me to do so."
